Ontario Geriatric Specialist Physician Resources 2018

BACKGROUND: The number of older adults with complex health needs in Ontario is growing. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care requested a resource mapping project to assess the current 2018 and projected 2025 number of specialist physician resources. METHODS: Geriatric specialist physicians were defined as geriatricians, geriatric psychiatrists, and Care of the Elderly (COE) physicians. We determined the current number of geriatricians, geriatric psychiatrists, and COEs and clinical full-time-equivalent complement (CFTE) for geriatric medicine and geriatric psychiatry specialists. We projected the number of new trainees expected to enter practice and the number of physicians expected to retire by 2025. We compared these numbers and projections against established specialist/population ratios for geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists. RESULTS: There was a deficit of geriatricians and geriatric psychiatrists (geriatricians: CFTE deficit of 150.5; geriatric psychiatrists: CFTE deficit of 116.3). In 2025, the projected CFTE deficit of geriatricians will increase to at least 210.35 and geriatric psychiatrists to 194.6. Only about 30% of COE physicians work in direct support of specialized services for the elderly. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant current and anticipated undersupply in the required number of geriatricians, geriatric psychiatrists, and COE physicians to meet anticipated population demand.